The Essence of.....Nepal An exploration of the world through food and drink

Essence -ial Information UK Tourist Office Nepalese Embassy Consulate Section 12A Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 Currency Rupee Capital Kathmandu Language Nepali  Main Airlines No flights direct Flying Time from UK 13 hrs Visa Yes

PROFILE Many people often wrongly assume that Nepalese food is similar to Indian food and consists of "curry" and rice and many Nepalese restaurants reinforce this by serving Indian food to customers. The most common food is dhal bhat which is a soup of lentils and spices and rice. A tarkari is added on top which is usually vegetables shallow fried with spices. In the hills where rice is expensive the Nepalese substitute rice for dhedo which is a mixture of flour and water or butter. Dhedo is similarly eaten in Tibet. One dish that is usually immensely popular amongst tourists is momo. This is a dumpling usually filled with buffalo or yak meat and steamed, and traditionally eaten with a sauce made from ginger, chillies and tomatoes. There is a difference between the long Tibetan momo and the round Newari momo, also the Newari variety comes with a delicious spicy soup! Gundrook- Dheedo Equally popular among Nepali people and foreign tourists, Gundrook-Dheedo is a sugar-free dish made of wheat, maize and dried green vegetable. The food is high on nutrition level and satisfies the taste buds as well. Alu Tama Aloo Tama (Alu Tama) simply means 'Potato Bamboo Shoots'. It is a unique and classic Nepali curry flavor dish. It is unique in the sense that it is unlike any other Indian or South Asian curry since they rarely use bamboo shoots. Similarly, unlike other East Asian cuisine such as Chinese that uses Bamboo shoots but do not use curry spices. Vegetable Pulao (Fried Nepali Rice) Vegetable Pulao is one of the popular ways rice is served during the parties and events in the Nepalese household. It has flavor of turmeric and cumin to it. The rice is particularly famous among tourists who prefer eating it with curd and Manchurian. Masu Masu is spiced or curried meat (usually chicken, mutton, buffalo or pork) with gravy. Served with rice, it is a main course dish, very popular in Nepal. Vegetable Thukpa (Egg Noodles) This is a seasonal dish. Tibetan Vegetable Thukpa is one of the main food. During Tibetan new year celebration 'Losar'the dish is a part of celebration and tradition for the Nepalese. Chatamari Regarded as Newari pizza, Chatamari is a flat bread made from rice flour with or without toppings (meat, vegetables, eggs, sugar). It is highly savoured by the tourists who consider it as a good and healthy substitute to pizza. Drinks Tongba A special Limbu culture drink, Tongba is homemade wine. Fermented millet seeds are put in a wooden or plastic mug which is filled with hot water. One sips through a bamboo straw as more hot water is added which makes Tongba go down easily with greater impact and taste. Many consume this drink during winter season, and is also a favorite drink among the tourists. Rakshi Rakshi is a millet-based distilled alcoholic drink It is traditionally an important requirement at a lot of religious rituals and social events, perhaps because it is not only an alcoholic drink but also because of its antiseptic qualities. It is a strong drink, and is often brewed at home. The most common custom in Nepal is jutho which translates as "contaminated" and requires people not to touch others' food and drink with either their hands or their spoon. When drinking water for example, Nepalese people will not touch the bottle or glass to their lips so that others can drink from it also. Another custom is the idea that the foot is ritually dirty and therefore stepping over food or pointing the soles of your feet is disrespectful.